Machine for flat-sealing an end of a heat-sealable lining of a box of parallelepipedic shape



17, 1965 M. BERGHGRACHT 3,200, 3

MACHINE FOR FLAT-SEALING AN END OF A HEAT-SEALABLE LINING OF A BOX OF PARALLELEPIPEDIC SHAPE Flled July 17. 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l mvsmoa.

MARIUS BERGHGRACHT ATTORNEYS.

1965 M. BERGHGRACHT' 3,200,563

MACHINE FOR FLAT-SEALING AN END OF A HEAT-SEALABLE LINING OF A BOX OF PARALLELEPIPEDIG SHAPE Filed July 17, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

INVENTOR. MARIUS BERGHGRACHT BY ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 17, 1965 M. BERGHGRACHT- MACHINE FOR FLAT-SEALING AN END OF A HEAT-SEALABLE LINING OF A BOX OF PARALLELEPIPEDIC SHAPE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 17, 1964 v INVENTOR.

MARIUS BERGHGRACHT ATTORNEYS.

Aug- 17, 1965 I BERGHGRACHf 3,200,561

MACHINE FOR FL SEALING AN END OF A HEAT-SEALABLE LINING OF A BOX OF PARALLELEPIPEDIC SHAPE Filed July 17, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet Fig. 6

INVENTOR.

MARIUS BERGHGRACH"\ BY ATTORNEYS.

United States Pate MACHINE FOR FLAT-SEALIN G AN END OF A HEAT SEALABLE LINING OF A BOX F PAR- ALLELEPEPEDIC SHAPE Marius Berghgracht, Le Vieux Logis, Place .loyale, Vineuil St. Firmin, Oise, France Filed .l'uly 17, 1964, Ser. No. 333,312

Claims priority, application Luxembourg, .luly 26, 1963,

4 Claims. ici. 53-373 I This invention relates to machines for eifecting the closure of the ends of the heat-scalable lining of a packing box of parallelepipedic shape, the object being to provide improvements therein.

Boxes of this kind usually comprise a sheath of cardboard or the like whose body has at its ends folding flaps adapted to form the box ends after closure of the heatsealable lining disopsed in the sheath, the ends of the lining projecting beyond the ends of the sheath body. To close a lining end the same must be flattened along the central plane of the box, then welded or sealed by being pressed between heated jaws. Sealing is satisfactory only if the tow halves of the lining end bear absolutely flat against one another without the slightest creasing; failure to do this means that the weld has microscopic channels or flaws, as is often the case when the known systems for closing boxes of this kind are used. The packing cannot therefore be closed hermetically, something which is very disadvantageous in the case of vacuum-packed liquids, pastes and solids.

A machine according to this invention comprises two flattening members normally disposed outside the lining end, means for introducing the flattening members into the lining end and for separating them from each otheralong the central plane of the box by forcing them against diametrically opposite places of the lining until the flattening members substantially flatten the lining end, two spaced-apart plates or strips or the like disposed on either side of the lining end, means for moving the said plates transversely of the central plane until the plates press between them the flattened lining end along a line further away from the end edge of the lining than the flattening members, means for thereafter withdrawing the flattening members from the lining, means for then bringing the sealing members into contact with the fiattened lining end and sealing the same outside the said plates, and means for then removing the sealing members and the plates from the sealed lining end.

A machine according to the invention provides rapid and satisfactory flatsealing of the lining end. The fiattening members, which are, with advantage, naturally resilient in order not to tear the lining ends, apply tension to diametrically opposite parts of the lining end so that the lining end is stretched completely flat when the plates press the lining end between their edges, so that the lining end is flattened positively and satisfactorily. There is therefore no chance of unwanted creases existing when the seailng members subsequently operate on the end to be sealed, very near the plates. Since the latter may be cooled, the weld bead, which may tend to form beside the heat-sealing zone due to liquefaction of the lining material or its coating during sealing, sets immediately because of the presence of the cooled plates, something which helps to improve weld quality.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a box end during two phases of the flattening of the box lining end;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a machine according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is an end view corresponding to FIG. 3;

Patented Aug. 17, 1965 FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the sequence and duration of the various phases during one working cycle of the machine, and

FIGS. 6-11 are fragmentary views, to a reduced scale and in section taken on the lines VIXI respectively of FIG. 3, showing only those elements which are necessary for an understanding of how the machine operates.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show one end of a box suitable for closing by a machine according to the invention. The box comprises a sheath of cardboard or the like having a body 1 and closure flaps 2-5, the sheath receiving a lining 6 of heat-scalable material, for instance sheet of plastics, or paper, metal foil or complex coated on the inner side with a heat-sealable lacquer or the like, the lining projecting beyond the sheath body 1. When it is required to seal the lining the flaps 2-5 are folded outwards as shown in FiGS. 1 and 2; this folding can be effected by any known means such as are conventional in apparatus of the general kind concerned.

When the box is in the condition shown in FIG. 1, two folding members or antennae 7, 8 movable along the central plane of the box, are operated to enter the open end of the lining 6 and move apart from one another to flatten the lining end as shown in FIG. 2. Two plates or strips or the like 9, it) are disposed one on either side of the lining and are reciprocated as indicated by arrows. They have a length at least equal to and preferably greater than the width of the flattened lining end. The movements of the plates 9, it) and of the antennae 7, 3 are so co-ordinated that the plates close at or immediately after the time when the antennae reach their positions of maximum separation from one another. The plates 9, it then press between them the completely flattened end of the lining 6 along a line near the ends of the antennae 7, 7? between the same and the sheath body 1 and, preferably, closely adjacent the end thereof, whereafter the antennae 7, t; are withdraw from the lining 6, whereafter sealing members, such as hot jaws, seal the end of the lining close to the plates 9, Iltl-i.e. flush with the packaged product. Finally, the sealing members and the plates move apart from one another to release the .box after the sealing of the lining. Preferably, the plates 9, it) are moved away after the sealing members in order to keep the lining end fiat during the initial cooling of the heat-sealed joint.

The machine illustrated in FIGS. 3-11 comprises a frame 11, mounted on which are two parallel shafts 12, 13 which are disposed in spaced relationship one above another and have the main parts of the machine mounted on them. The shaft 12 is borne by two bearings 14, 15 having pivotally connected to them arms 16, 17 whose free ends are biased by a tension spring 18, 19, respectively, secured to a stationary part of the frame 11, for instance, a bearing 20, 21, respectively, for the shaft 13. The antennae 7, 8, which may be in the form of spring-steel wire terminating in a loop or eye or the like, are secured to the arms 16, 17. The movements thereof and of the antennae 7, 8 are controlled by cams 22, 23 against which the springs 18, 19, urge rollers 24, 25 mounted on rods 26, 27 pivotally connected at places 28, 29 to the arms 16, 17. The cams 22, 23 are rigidly secured to the shaft 13 which is rotated by gears 30, 31.

The plates 9, it are secured'to one end of levers 32;, 33 having the general shape of a letter S and freely rotatable at an intermediate place on the shaft 12, the

other end of each lever 32, 33 having mounted on it a roller 34, 35, respectively, kept in contact with a cam 36, 37, respectively rigidly connected to the shaft 13. Each of the levers 33, 32 comprises two arms staggered relatively to each other lengthwise of the shaft 12..

Two double-armed levers 38, 3% are freely rotatable on the shaft 12; one arm of each said levers carries a sealing member 4%, 41, respectively'an electrically heated jaw in this particular case-and the other arm carries a roller 42, 43, respectively, such rollers being kept in contact with earns 44, .45 rigidly connected to the shaft 13.

' One end of an areuate leaf spring 46 is connected at 47 to a pin rigidly secured to the lever 33 near the roller 42 while the other end of the spring 46 is connected at 48 to a pin rigidly secured to the arm 32 near the roller 34. The spring lti'therefore maintains the rollers 34, 42in contact with their earns 36, 44. A similar spring 49 is secured at to the arm 33 near the roller 35 and at 51 to the arm 39 near the roller 43, to keep the rollers 35, 43 i in contact with their respective earns 37, 45. As the shaft 13 rotates, the levers 32, 33, 38, 39, in association with their cams and rollers, move to bring the springs 46, 49 into the respective positions 46', 4? (FIG. 4). The corresponding open position of the arm 32 is shown in chain-dotted lines by the reference 32; of course the arm 39 moves'through the same angle, while the arms 33, 38 move similarly but to the opposite hand.

The box is brought to the apparatus in the condition shown in FIG. 1. The antennae 7, 8 are moved by the springs 18, ll? after the cams 22, 23 have moved to positions, to allow such movement, into the position 7' (position shown for one of them in FIG. 3) so as to flatten the end of the lining 6, whereafter the plates 9, are

pressed against the flattened lining end, the antennae are withdrawn, and the sealing members 4%, 41 are moved until they press between them'the'flattened lining end. This is the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

There can of course be variations in the chronological order of the various phases but one advantageous cycle is represented by the diagram given in FIG. 5, the three circles representing the movement cycle, (inner circle) of the sealing members 40, 41, (intermediate circle) plates 7 9, 1d and (outer circle) antennae 7, 8, respectively. The antennae are in the normal position at a (the full line position shown in FIG; 3), open at 1) (position shown in FIG. 2), stay open at c, and return to their normal position at d. The plates 9, 10 are open at e (position in FIG. 1), close at f, stay closed at g (position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4) and re-open at h. The sealing members are open at i, close at 1, stay closed at k to effect sealing (position shown in FIG. 4) and re-open at I.

As will be apparent, the machine according to the invention performs in a single working cycle all the operations for flat-folding and for sealing the box lining and substantially obviates all risk of faulty welds, more particularly of microscopic channels impairing complete hermeticity of the packing.

Of course the invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described and shown, and the same can be modified in various ways without any departure from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For instance, the plates 9, 10 can be cooled, for instance, by-being hollow at least in the part near their support arm and by water or some other coolant flowing through them.

I claim:

l. A machine for flat-sealing one end of a heat-scalable lining of a parallelepipedic box of cardboard or the like, such end projecting from the box body and being flattened along a central plane of the box, then sealed in this position, by means of sealing members, the machine comprising two flatteningmembers normally disposed outside the lining end, means for introducing the flattening members into the lining end and for separating them from each other along the central plane of the box by forcing them against diametrically opposite places of the lining until the flattening members substantially flatten the lining end, two spaced-apart plates disposed on either side of the lining end and having a length at least equal to the width of the flattened lining end, means for moving the said plates transversely of the said central plane until the plates positively press between thernthe flattened lining end along a'line extending on the whole width thereof and furtheraway from the 'end edge of the lining thanthe flattening members, means for. there-. after withdrawing the flattening rnernbers from the lining, means for them bringing the sealing members into contact with the flattened lining end. and sealing the same outside thersaid platesand closely adjacent thereto, and means for then removing the sealing members and the plates from the sealed lining end.

2. A machine for flat-sealing one end of a heat-sealable lining projecting from the body of a parallelepipedic box of cardboard or the like, including two flattening members normally disposed outside the lining end and intended to be introduced therein and to be separated from each other for acting upon diametrically opposed places of the lining end until they substantiallyrflatten the latter, spaced-apartplates disposed on either'side of the lining end and intended to be moved transversely'of the plane of movement of said flattening members for pressing between them the flattened lining end along a line further away from the lining endthan the flattening members, sealing members intended to seal the flattened lining end after withdrawal of the flattening members thereof, said plates and sealing members being intended to be withdrawn from the lining end after sealing thereof, in which each plate and each sealing member is secured, respectively, to' one arm of separate two-armed levers Whose other arm has a roller, all the levers being rotatably mounted, at an intermediate place thereof, on a stationary common shaft, each such roller cooperating with a cam, all the cams being rigidly secured to a common rotating shaft parallel with the stationary shaft, and resilient means are provided to maintain the rollers in contact with their cams. I

3. A machine for flat-sealing one end of a heat-scalable lining projecting from the body ofa parallelepipedic box of cardboard or the like, including two flattening members normally disposed outside the lining end and intended to be introduced therein and to be separated from each other for acting upon diametrically opposed places of the lining end'until they substantially flatten the latter, spaced-apart plates disposed on either side of the lining end and intended to be moved transversely of the plane of movement of said flattening members for pressing be tween them the flattened lining end along a line further away from the lining end than the flattening members, sealing members intended to seal the flattened lining end after withdrawal of the flattening members thereof, said plates and sealing members being'intended to be With- 7 drawn from the lining end after sealing thereof, in which along a central plane of the box, then sealed in. this position by means of sealing members, the machine comprising two-flattening members normally disposed outside the lining end, means for'introducing the flattening members into the lining end and for separating them from each other along the central plane of the box means for moving the said plates transversely of the said' central plane until the plates positively press between them the flattened lining end along'a line extending on the Whole width thereof and further away from the end edge of the lining than the flattening members, means for thereafter withdrawing the flattening members from the lining, means for then bringing the sealing members into contact with the flattened lining end and sealing the same outside the said plates and closely adjacent thereto, and means for then removing the sealing members and the plates from the sealed lining end, each said flattening member being a naturally resilient wire which terminates in a bent end.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR FLAT-SEALING ONE END OF A HEAT-SEALABLE LINING OF A PARALLELEPIPEDIC BOX OF CARDBOARD OR THE LIKE, SUCH END PROJECTING FROM THE BOX BODY AND BEING FLATTENED ALONG A CENTRAL PLANE OF THE BOX, THEN SEALED IN THIS POSITION, BY MEANS OF SEALING MEMBERS, THE MACHINE COMPRISING TWO FLATTENING MEMBERS NORMALLY DISPOSED OUTSIDE THE LINING END, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING THE FLATTENING MEMBERS INTO THE LINING END AND FOR SEPARATING THEM FROM EACH OTHER ALONG THE CENTRAL PLANE OF THE BOX BY FORCING THEM AGAINST DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE PLACES OF THE LINING UNTIL THE FLATTENING MEMBERS SUBSTANTIALLY FLATTEN THE LINING END, TWO SPACED-APART PLATES DISPOSED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE LINING END AND HAVING A LENGTH AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF THE FLATTENED LINING END, MEANS FOR MOVING THE SAID PLATES TRANSVERSELY OF THE SAID CENTRAL PLANE UNTIL THE PLATES POSITIVELY PRESS BETWEEN THEM THE FLATTENED LINING END ALONG A LINE EXTENDING ON THE WHOLE WIDTH THEREOF AND FURTHER AWAY FROM THE END EDGE OF THE LINING THAN THE FLATTENING MEMBERS, MEANS FOR THERE- 